Porcupine Ridge iphone screen full of smudges

He stiffened slightly as Taggarik's nose brushed over the fair hairs atop his head and sought the thicker fur of his nape. The habits of a loner were hard to put aside. His lip twitched uncomfortably, his tail stilled its wagging, but Taggarik proved to be the same well-mannered wolf from the terrace. He didn't push the point of dominance, which Farstep appreciated with a sniff of his own at the man's ambient odour. Taggarik had certainly been more places recently than Farstep had judging by his scent. Perhaps others awaited higher on the ridge, drawn to Taggarik's easy dominance as he was, but their scents were not yet fully mingled with the alpha's.

Taggarik rumbled and Farstep's ears snatched instinctively back. He drew his belly closer to the earth, awaiting signs of displeasure, but Taggarik's expression was more expectant than anything. A gruff sound pulled from the wanderer's throat as he corrected his posture to one of light submission and primary neutrality, a generic response to a vocalization he did not really understand, though ironically, he angled his snout to gaze quietly at the ridge overhead. It was large and surely held a bounty. Farstep looked forward to familiarizing himself with it.

He took a slow and cautious step forward, his flighty nature kicking in in the event Taggarik took offense to his approach. All the while he was unaware that the alpha had asked him a direct question and probably expected a response. He would get no such thing from Farstep, ever.